Dirty Blvd.

August 15, 2015
A biography of legendary rocker Lou Reed (1942-2013). There is no shortage of biographies testifying to Reed's importance as the godfather of punk and progenitor of art rock. Even before his death, his place in the rock-'n'-roll pantheon was uncontested as a founding member of the Velvet Underground, and his life had become the subject of mythic archetype for his transgressive lyrics, blend of pop stylings with avant-garde aesthetics, and hard-living lifestyle. Journalist Levy's narrative of Reed's life and work-touted as the first since his death-confirms these honors. But the most useful aspect of Levy's study is his ability to separate Reed the rocker from Reed the person. Reed's reputation and legacy as one of the pioneers and innovators of rock are unquestioned, but the author also showcases his irascible, confrontational, and often cruel personality, which complicated his cult of personality. Driven by the emergence of bohemian and Beat cultures in the 1950s, Reed devoted himself to a contrarian, anti-bourgeois lifestyle that alienated friends and lovers, sabotaged professional relationships, and fueled a self-destructive lifestyle. Guided by his literary mentor Delmore Schwartz, Reed began his musical career as a songwriter at Pickwick Records, where he began writing one of his early masterpieces, "Heroin." He also made connections with like-minded musician John Cale and artist Andy Warhol, who formed the artistic core of the Velvet Underground. As frontman, Reed ushered in a new style of cacophonous, uninhibited, and gritty urban realism in songwriting. The details of Reed's ascendance, fall, and comeback as a solo artist are so vital and culturally significant they read like a Hollywood script, and Levy ably captures it. Few artists, let alone musicians, have had a more fruitful yet tempestuous creative life, the results of which forever changed perceptions of popular music and art. A valuable study of Reed, further cementing his totemic influence as the high priest of art rock.

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September 15, 2015

In his biography of the protopunk icon Lou Reed (1942-2013), Levy (The Village Voice) does a splendid job debunking the myths surrounding the musician. He describes Reed's middle-class Jewish upbringing on Long Island as stifling and discusses how bouts of nonconformity, depression, and bi-curious sexual attractions drove his parents to subject him to electroconvulsive therapy. Levy covers Reed's years at Syracuse University, where he meets his first girlfriend, Shelly Albin, a muse for some of his notable early songs, and his troubled mentor, the writer Delmore Schwartz. Levy's history of the Velvet Underground, Reed's influential late 1960s band, covers familiar territory, as the author discusses his fractious relationships with Andy Warhol, Nico, and collaborator John Cale. Levy is at his most engaging describing Reed's first decade as a solo artist, shedding light on his attempts to self-sabotage his career, his then-shocking relationship with transwoman Rachel Humphreys, his playfully combative friendship with rock critic Lester Bangs, and his addictions to alcohol and amphetamine. The book's one weakness is that it offers far less detail about Reed's career after 1980 than about his work prior to that decade. VERDICT Though a little dry, this study is about as close to a must-read book on Reed as one can get.--Brian Flota, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2015
Lou Reed had nearly a decade's experience under his belt as lead singer and songwriter for the cult favorite Velvet Underground before he went solo in the early 1970s, but somehow he was reborn as a solo artist, able to find his own voice. Taking its title from one of Reed's songs, this skillfully written and respectful biography takes us through Reed's life and career. Author Levy, a fan of Reed's music, was planning the book before Reed's death in 2013 and has clearly cast this finished work as both a life story and a tribute to an iconic musician. Gathering information from a variety of sources, including interviews with people who knew and worked with Reed, previously published material, archival footage of Reed performing, and various bootleg tapes, Levy has produced an informative and insightful look at a rock star and songwriter whose work always cut a little deeper than that of his peers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)